The rise and fall and rise of the GIF

GIFs are the Esperanto of our Internet culture, a semi-nonsensical, visual language that acts as a stand-in for everything from random thoughts and reactions to intricate art and instructions. They’re a fungible meme engine — a medium that is as celebrated today as it was pilloried a decade ago. GIFs live on our websites, blogs, emails, Slacks and messages. Today, they're as ubiquitous as air and as inescapable as a Donald Trump soundbite.

Like a Hallmark sentiment, when people care enough to send a message, they care enough to send the very best or most appropriate GIF (pronounced “jif,” according to the creator — a point still hotly debated in digital offices). Creation is not a concern, instead culling through the thousands of GIFs available on sites like Gfycat, Giphy, Imgur, Reddit and Tumblr to find the perfect reaction, meme and visual joke is the challenge. Read more...